Tyreek Hill's status with the Miami Dolphins is very much up in the air. If the franchise does choose to part ways with the dynamic wide receiver, it will drastically change their front office's approach to the 2025 NFL Draft.
Rumors of the team's interest in either trading or cutting the speedy pass catcher have been swirling over the last couple of weeks. Hill has dropped clear hints that he'd like to engineer a move away from South Beach. It's unclear whether or not owner Stephen Hill is prepared to grant him that wish.
What is clear is that Miami's draft strategy would shift significantly without Hill in the fold. They'd likely need to secure a replacement for him with one of their premium draft picks. Here's a three round mock of how the Dolphins could ace their draft if Hill does depart.
Round 1 pick: Luther Burden III
Luther Burden III is not a like-for-like replacement or Hill at the wideout position. The prospect does not possess the same sort of top end speed that helps Hill strike fear in the hearts of opposing defensive backs.
What Burden does have is an elite ability to instantly transform into a running back the instant the ball arrives in his hands. He racked up yards after the catch at Missouri against high-quality SEC opponents. That makes him an ideal receiver to work underneath routes opposite Jaylen Waddle in Miami.
If the Dolphins move on from Tyreek Hill via trade or cut, there is obviously a salary cap impact and an on-field impact. With at least 3 critical needs, are you now drafting a WR in top 2 rounds? More importantly, how does owner Stephen Ross feel about Hill? We don’t know.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) April 9, 2025
An underrated way Burden III can help the Dolphins is by allowing Tua Tagovailoa to get rid of the ball on a series of shorter, quicker pass patterns. Hill often needed a lot of time to work down the field to get on top of opposing safeties. Tagovailoa could take a lot less punishment this year by swapping Burden III for Hill on the outside.
Some scouts might consider taking Burden III at No. 13 as a reach but he would fill a profound need for the Dolphins' offense. This unit cannot function without two high-level starters on the outside. If Miami loses Hill, they will strongly consider taking the best wideout on the board with their first round pick.
Round 2 pick: Darien Porter
Losing Hill doesn't suddenly take away the other needs the Dolphins need to fill in this draft. Cornerback is still a major concern for the defense. Jalen Ramsey is not the superstar he once was and Storm Duck is not anyone's idea of a high-level starter on the other side of the field.
Darien Porter is not a perfect cornerback prospect but plenty of teams will be more than willing to bet on his athletic traits in Round 2. He's a big, speedy corner who doesn't need to execute perfect technique to make plays. A season or two of quality coaching at the pro level could also elevate his technique and footwork.
Porter might need to sit and watch the pro game for a few weeks but he's a solid bet to make a positive impact as a rookie. More importantly, drafting him could give Miami a quality building block they can trust for multiple years at the cornerback position.
Round 3 pick: Wyatt Milum
Adding James Daniels in free agency is a step forward for the Dolphins' offensive line but they still need to do more to protect Tagovailoa via the draft. Landing former West Virginia standout in Round 3 would give the franchise a nice boost at the tackle position.
Milum has the sort of mean streak that NFL coaches like to see from college prospects. He's not the most athletic tackle in this year's draft class but he plays with real physicality at the point of attack. He may not have the pass blocking chops to thrive on the left side but it's easy to see a path for him to become an asset to the ground game on the right side.
The Dolphins might opt for a bigger swing at this point in the draft, but Milum has the sort of certainty that should appeal to the team's front office. He won't turn into an All-Pro but he could be a solid starter for a long time at a premium position. That makes him a quality choice in the third round to boost the team's offense.